8 weeks of ESD claims stuck on 'pending' - can't get through on phone!

Ugh, I know EXACTLY what you're going through! I was stuck in pending hell for 6 weeks earlier this year. The phone system is completely broken - I called over 200 times (not exaggerating) and either got hung up on or stuck on hold until the system automatically disconnected me after hours. What finally worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this system that basically waits on hold for you and calls you back when they get an actual agent. I was super skeptical but desperate enough to try anything, and it got me connected to an agent in about 45 minutes. The agent cleared all my pending weeks that same day. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - might be worth checking out if you're as desperate as I was.

The pending status usually means they need additional information or there's an issue they need to resolve with your claim. This could be anything from employment verification, identity verification, or questions about your job separation. When did you first file your claim? Did you receive any notices in your eServices account or mail requesting additional information? Check your correspondence tab in eServices - sometimes notices get sent there without email notifications.

theve been doing this to EVERYBODY!! its not a accident its ON PURPOSE to save $$$. my cousin works for the state (not esd) and says they deliberatly understaf the call center bcuz every person they cant help saves them benefit $$. FACT: they have to pay u interest on delayed claims but ONLY if u specifically request it!! they NEVER tell u this! demand ur interest when u finally get thru!!!

Have you tried reaching out to your state representative's office? When my claim was stuck in pending for over 5 weeks, I contacted my district's state representative. Their office has direct connections to ESD's legislative liaisons who can often escalate cases. You can find your representatives at leg.wa.gov by entering your address. Send them an email explaining your situation, include your claim ID number, and be sure to mention the financial hardship you're experiencing. My rep's office got back to me within 2 days and my claim was resolved within a week after that. Definitely worth trying while you continue attempting to reach ESD directly.

Might b an identity verification issue. Happened to me last month. Check ur secure messages again, sometimes they send identity verification requests but the email notification never comes through. Look for something about uploading ur drivers license and ssn card. If u miss that deadline all ur claims stay pending forever

I was in a similar situation last year with 9 weeks pending. What finally worked for me was going to my local WorkSource office in person. A lot of people don't realize this, but some WorkSource offices have ESD staff who can look up your claim and at least tell you why it's pending. They can't always fix it on the spot, but they can see what's going on and sometimes give you direct numbers to specific departments. Bring your ID and claim information with you. The one in Tacoma was super helpful and actually called a special adjudication line while I was sitting there. Worth a try if you're able to go in person!

Quick update - I saw someone mentioned going to WorkSource, which is a good idea, but just FYI they do NOT have ESD claims agents at every location. Some only have job search help. You should call first and specifically ask if they have unemployment staff on site before making the trip. Also, when I used Claimyr that I mentioned earlier, the ESD agent told me they had a system glitch in January that caused thousands of claims to get stuck in pending status without any alerts or requests for information. Might be something similar happening now.

One more option to consider is reaching out through the ESD website's technical support contact form (not the regular eServices messaging). Sometimes technical support can escalate issues to claims specialists when they see patterns of problems. Be sure to include: 1. Your claim ID 2. The exact dates of all pending weeks 3. Any error messages you've received 4. Screenshots of your claim status page if possible Also, when did you last verify your identity through ID.me? Sometimes claims get stuck when ID verification expires, even if you previously verified successfully.

Based on everything you've shared, this sounds like your claim might be stuck in the automated adjudication queue. With the information you've provided, here's what I'd recommend in order of effectiveness: 1. Continue with the state representative outreach you've already started 2. Visit WorkSource in person (call first to confirm they have ESD staff as others suggested) 3. If those don't work within a week, consider a service like Claimyr that another user mentioned - many people in this forum have reported success with it 4. As a last resort, you can request an official appeal of your pending status, which forces ESD to review your claim, but this can sometimes take even longer Hang in there, and please update us on what ends up working for you!